Operation Stir Fry
by Remember December
Summary: Gift fic. The children of our favorite agents have come to wreak their own special brand of chaos in the world. Bad guys beware, these girls aren't out to play nice.
1. A push and a shove

Taylor lay underneath her motorcycle, a small allen wrench in hand. Her brakes had seemed a bit off lately and she was attempting to fix the problem. Her twin sister Sarah was lounging on the garage couch, flipping through a a bird owners magazine. A radio played quietly in the background.

"Hey, could you give me the specs again?" she called, turning the wrench firmly.

Sarah sighed softly and got off the couch. She turned to the multitude of manuals and blueprints spread across half the garage's wall-length projects table.

"You want European or American standard?"

Taylor hissed slightly as thick smelly blue fluid dripped onto her cheek. "Make it European. American won't cut it for the races this week."

Sarah frowned at that as her eyes quickly absorbed lines of tiny print. "I thought Dad said absolutely not. You're still on probation from the last time."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "A li'l scratch like that? He didn't even pay for it! I did!"

"No, you didn't. Melissa did." Sarah neglected to mention that sliding fifty feet on after-light-rain-oil-slick concrete after a vicious shove from a less scrupulous rider that had resulted in the bike being nearly totaled and Taylor walking funny for weeks, would hardly be considered a lil scratch. It was a rather touchy subject for the whole family.

Taylor slid out from under the bike on her trolley to glare at her sister. "Out of _my _funds."

"Yeah, but her and Veronika manage the money that Mr. Cooper gives us. And don't change the subject. Dad still said no and I am _so _not covering for you this time." She found the info and quickly read it off.

"Some sister you are," Taylor mumbled to herself, measuring the brake fluid carefully. She poured it in and looked up to see Sarah glaring at her. Sometimes it slipped her mind how annoying it was to have a family who all read lips. The hurt in those liquid brown eyes made her heart twinge in her chest. But she wouldn't apologize. If Sarah lived to act, Taylor lived to race...and there was nothing they could do to change that.

"Brace yourselves." They whipped their heads to see Lidia finish coming down the stairs, an irritated expression on her face. Then again, she almost always looked irritated.

"What's up?" Sarah asked.

Lidia deigned not to answer and instead pointed at the stairs. They heard the fuss before they figured it out.

"-THE MOST RIDICULOUS, SHAMEFUL, ABSOLUTELY WANTON DISPLAY OF DISCOURTESY IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!"

Taylor and Sarah both winced. Melissa was on a rampage. Lidia flopped down on the couch and began disinterestedly flipping through a tween gossip magazine. The door at the top of the stairs slammed as two people trotted down to the garage.

"It vas very funny, Meh-lissah. I do noht see the problem," Veronika said as she descended the stairs, blue-green eyes pratically dancing in amusement. Melissa followed half a step behind was fuming, face white with suppressed rage making her freckles stand out that much more.

"AND YOU!" She pointed at Lidia, who looked at her evenly, no sign of fear in her sharp emerald eyes. "YOU!" Melissa marched over to Lidia, leaning down until they were practically nose to nose. "I _know_, this was your idea! _I just know it!" _She hissed.

Lidia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Dat is a good point," Veronika said, grabbing one of the overstuffed chairs.

"SHE DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING!" Melissa exploded, whirling around to glare at Veronika. "AND DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO SAY THAT SHE DID! I HAVE _PROOF _THIS TIME!"

Lidia's face suddenly went white behind her and others looked on interestedly. Melissa whirled around to begin ranting at Lidia in rapid-fire Russian.

"So, mind tellin' me what's got her gears grindin'?" Taylor walked slowly over to Veronika, trying to remain inconspicuous to the miniature whirlwind of rage in front of them.

"You haf blue on your cheek." Veronika wiped at her own in imitation.

Sarah handed Taylor a rag absently. "I haven't seen her this mad since the French Embassy Incident. What'd Lidia _do_?"

"Frohm vat I understand, Mehlissa is upset because of the rahder fetching flowers she was given dis morning," Veronika said nonchalantly, focusing curiously on Lidia's shrinking and uncomfortable figure.

Finally it seemed as if she was beginning to wind down. Melissa demanded something of Lidia which made Veronika choke and sputter out something in shock. Melissa turned to glare at her and they began their own rapid fire exchange.

Sarah and Taylor exchanged a weary look. "Think we should invest in some lessons?" Taylor asked glumly, not even attempting to follow along. She pulled her red-brown hair into slightly neater ponytail.

"Probably,"Sarah said, "Looks like Lidia really did do it this time. She hasn't glared, rolled her eyes, or done that funny little hum thing-y."

Veronika shook her head in disbelief- or maybe amazement- and leaned back in her chair, content to have Melissa continue ranting. Sarah took the opportunity to plop down in front of her, giving her a puppy-dog look. Veronika chuckled and sat back up.

"Sit up straight," she commanded and Sarah happily complied. She began neatly and gently braiding Sarah's thick auburn curls. She glanced over at Taylor, who had returned to looking through one of the manuals. "So, I see you haf decided to enter the races dis veek. Haf you told Mehlissah?"

"Told me what?" Melissa snapped sharply apparently done berating Lidia. She paced over to the far side of the room, still irritated but slightly calmer. "That Taylor has once _again _flown in the face of reason and decided to put her life in mortal peril for the sake of avenging her wronged reputation in a highly dangerous, underground - and might I add- incredibly _illegal _motorcycle race this weekend at 11 pm? Why, no, I don't think she did." Melissa leveled a sharp glare at Taylor, grey eyes icy with disappointment. "And can you imagine my surprise when I received an email from the scum who run the race with one of your alliases on it? Luckily for you, I managed to delete your name off the list."

Taylor gasped, a sharp stab of betrayal ripping through her chest. She opened her mouth to start screaming at her -

"OH, don't _even_ start with me!" Melissa spat. She twisted her wavy red hair back into a bun, clipping it in place. "It just _might _have escaped your notice, considering you were travelling at upwards of 90 miles per hour when it happened, but that little love-tap was actually meant to _kill _you, you stupid girl." Everyone froze. Melissa smirked, crossing her arms. "Well, now that I've got your attention."

She walked over to the projects table, grabbing a remote off of it. She pushed a few buttons and a flat screen TV appeared where the huge poster of Elvis had been. Documents and files were spread across the screen. Lidia stopped trying to immesh herself into the couch cushions and walked over to stand next to her, an interested and intense expression on her normally bored face. Veronika continued her interrupted braiding, tugging on it to remind Sarah not to move.

"You managed to get under the thin skin of the resident drug lord of our beloved inner-city and even better! He's courting with one of the local Triad operations." Her cheeriness was undermined by the incredibly irritated look on her face.

"Damned Asians," Melissa grumbled to herself, "never know when when to quit."

"But, moving on!" A sour, sick looking ratman appeared on the screen, next to a Jackie Chan wannabe and a slick looking, mean street-walker with blue streaked hair, who looked like something straight off the roughest streets in Tokyo.

"On your left, Din Jei Wan. Ratface here is the one in charge of these splendid little races our beloved idiot is so very fond of." She paused to glare at Taylor again. "He reports to our next _charming_ specimen, Jei Xian Wan, inner-city drug lord and thorn in Customs' side. He's been the most successful drugs runner we've had in quite awhile and unfortunately it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon." She paused to glare at the screen. "We've had forty overdoses in the past two months because of this _bastard."_ Veronika raised an eyebrow at that. Melissa was not overly fond of cussing. Though given the subject was drugs, it wasn't too hard to imagine why.

"What's he deal?" Lidia asked, speaking for the second time that day.

"He's an alphabet dealer, ladies, although he specializes in opium and heroin." Veronika gave a small 'tch' of disgust. Alphabet meant that they sold anything and everything they could get their hands on, which made them very difficult to track down.

"And who's the candy-head?" Sarah asked, standing up now that her hair was done, Veronika doing the same.

"Now _that _is where it gets interesting. Taylor here might know him as Blue Helmet, and yes that _is _his racing alias. Very creative, isn't it?" They all shared a snicker. "Ratface here isn't exactly keen on real names as I'm sure Taylor could tell you."

"Would you stop that! I'm sorry, okay?" Taylor protested, throwing a rag at her in exasperation. Melissa caught it neatly and continued, a slight smirk playing about her lips.

"But his actual name is Toshiro Watakari. Quite a character, even by our standards." Lidia and Veronika shared a look, as did Taylor and Sarah.

"Oh?" Veronika prompted.

A list of qualifications popped up on the screen and Sarah gave a low whistle. "Born in Japan, specialist in armed and unarmed combat- no surprise there-, three counts of aggravated assault in the last month, formerly of the Australian Special forces...what _is _this guy?"

"A jack-of-all-trades. You need a job done and for the right price, he just might do it. He's not like our typical mercenaries, he only does what he wants. Somehow he's come by a lot of money, _legally _too." She frowned deeply muttering to herself, "Believe me, that was the first thing I checked."

"So he's an adrenalin junkie," Lidia said, looking at the screen still.

"Precisely." Melissa pulled up a few video clips. "Here's the footage I managed to capture off our local traffic camera's. Whoever Wan decided to hire for his tech support is just plain lousy. They had so many gaps in their security it could've doubled as a cheese grater." Sarah gave a giggle at that, Taylor grinned and Veronika's lips twitched as Lidia rolled her eyes.

They watched through a montage of clips as a two modified bikes crossed an intersection. The one in the lead was Taylor's red Toyota followed closely by an electric blue Yamaha. As the two bikes raced through, both whipping left to follow the course the group saw the blue rider wrench his bike to a dangerously low angle, whipping his right leg up to kick at her and allow the tailend of his bike to bump Taylor without crushing it. They saw him pull out of the drifted turn and zip off down the course. They saw Taylor fight to dodge him and then regain control of her bike but to no avail. She spun out and flew off to slide about fifty feet, her bike sliding in the opposite direction.

The collective silence of the room wasn't broken for a few minutes. Sarah gripped her sister's hand tightly as Veronika clasped her shoulder. Lidia looked slightly green and Melissa's resigned face didn't help much. Melissa broke the silence first.

"But that's precisely why I think it's time we took a closer look at why Mr. Watakari is here."

There was a second stunned silence for the evening as everyone looked at her in disbelief. Veronika was the first to recover.

"Vat exactly ahre you prohpohsing?" she asked slowly, locking eyes with Melissa.

"If Watakari had meant to kill Taylor he would have. Watch this."

A new video clip popped up. It was from a cell phone and had horrible quality. It was a rather blurry view of Taylor's bike, with excited commentary in a foreign language. The tone was excited, with pauses and commentary from another voice in the same language. Then someone else appeared on the screen by her bike, someone in black and white street clothes. They lingered by her bike a bit and the two voices' tones began to change. The first one shouted something and cut it short as an unmistakeable electric blue leather suit appeared on the screen and scared the other person away.

"Thank you for your assistance. You may go." The brilliantly clear English broke through the fuzzy audio and the video stopped.

"I don't get it," Taylor said looking at Sarah who shrugged.

"Vat language vas that?" Veronika asked, toying with a small piece of her platinum blonde hair, braiding and rebraiding it.

"Spanish?" Sarah ventured.

Melissa grinned. "Close, but not quite."

Lidia raised an eyebrow impatiently.

"It's Portuguese, but that is not the truly important part. It's what our darling Mr. Kimawari said. 'Thank you for your assistance'? It got me to thinking. Why on earth would he be thanking them? All they did was compliment the bikes and get the attention of the mystery person hanging around your bike...wasn't it? And then it hit me. I was not looking close enough."

The screen files rearranged themselves again, some disappearing others popping up in ther place. Now there was a series of still frames, like parts of a photo shoot. It showed a skinny black teen with something clenched in his left hand. The next picture showed him crouched next to Taylor's bike, putting something on it. The next pic showed Kimawari grabbing the teen. The teen was gone in the next but Kimawari was crouched where he had been.

"I had to fight the system to give me this much. Whoever decided to go back and try to wipe the footage clearly knew what they were doing, which I must admit, is highly suspicious. I'm very much inclined to think that someone not hired by Ratface went back and attempted to erase it completely. But after abour four hours of doctoring, we have the following series of stills."

"Zoom in on what wannabe gangsta's got in his hand," Sarah commanded.

Veronika frowned. "That looks like a patch," she muttered, tilting her head for a better look.

"Oh my god," Taylor breathed, "he saved my life! That's a homemade incendiary patch complete with cellphone relay and roughly 200 grams of C4!"

Melissa grinned smugly. "Precisely what I thought."

Lidia hummed softly to herself. "He's being handled," she stated.

Melissa shrugged. "Perhaps, but that certainly doesn't tell us by whom, for what purpose or what the end game objective is. I'm proposing we find out."

Veronika smirked. "He looks like he vould be an excellent contact. I agree vith Melissa. It is time ve found out vhy Kimawari's here. However, I feel it vould be in our best interest to handle this-"

"Discreetly?" Sarah suggested. Veronika nodded sharply in confirmation.

"One problem, y'all." Taylor broke into their happy plotting. "The souless ginger over there took me outta the race! How're we suppposed ta get close to him if I can't race?"

Melissa scowled at her. "Souless ginger, indeed! If we were to assess status based on appearance, then you would be a member of the Blue Man group!" She stuck her tongue out at her.

"Enough," Veronika warned.

"Hmmph. Before I was so _rudely_ insulted, I was going to say that although I may have taken Taylor's alias off, I put her in the race again as Grace Wilson's twin sister. Identical twin, might I add," Melissa tossed her head and pointedly looked in a different direction than Taylor. "I thought we would agree to see if he would become a contact so I went ahead and finished your registration."

Taylor's cheeks flushed with a strange mixture of rage and thanks. She turned away uncomfortably.

"Uh, we got one more problem, guys," Sarah said, looking at all of them. "There's no way Dad's gonna go for this. He's practically forbidden Taylor from ever going racing again."

Lidia snorted and held up her cellphone. Melissa glared at Lidia unhappily and Sarah and Taylor's faces split into identical grins. However, now it was Veronika's turn to frown.

"Perhaps, it is just me, but I vish to know how you are invovled in all of this," she said pointedly to Melissa frowning.

Melissa raised an eyebrow at her. "I find it curious as to how only _now_, once we've decided upon everything, do you think to question the situation."

Veronika's scowl deepened. Melissa flicked her fingers at her playfully.

"San Diego contacted me with a job a few months back. Said I might be interested in making a few dollars on the side and getting some information on the new slime in town. I accepted and now manage quite a bit of the cities betting for an exorbitant fee, of course."

"Of course," Veronika echoed dryly.

"Garuanteed payment and no chance to be openly cheated, every swindler's dream." She gave the room a wry expression. "What? You thought they'd let teenagers _legally _manage thousands of dollars?" She scoffed.

"I thought San Diego was outta comission," Sarah said, suspicion lacing her voice.

Melissa shrugged nonchalantly. "Mr. Cooper has them run the odd job every once in a while. San Diego seems to have a fondness for me, is all."

Now everyone was glaring at her. San Diego was code for a team of contacts in California. They had been officially retired by the girls after a nasty incident with international shipping that Melissa had played a large part in. They had all just barely made it out of there alive and Melissa had refused point blank to tell them anything on why she had decided to go rogue during their time there. Everyone had their suspicions but no one had been able to verify them yet. Now this wasn't to say that they trusted her any less, but it did mean that something major was going on and they weren't being clued in. There's nothing a well-trained agent hates more than to be kept in the dark.

"Enough," Lidia said. "What's your plan?"

Melissa stiffened slightly. "I'm not talking to you at the moment. But in case anyone else was wondering, here's what I had in mind..."

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. A Strange Gift

Veronika was always faintly amused when the group gathered together. Whether it was plotting out a mission, exchanging information, tutoring each other for school or in practical skills like shooting and lock-picking, or simply to hang out and watch cheesy movies. The group had a rightness that felt similar to a military unit at the top of their game; a friendship borne of trust and extreme situations when your life was on the line. When one was gone, the others felt it sorely.

She mused that she much prefered this sort of circle than the Family over which her parents ruled. Being the daughter of Tsar Ivan had its advantages of course, but there was a certain edge and definite lack of brutality that this gathering lacked. It was much nicer, but Veronika knew she would forever walk the line between her Comrades and her friends. They all would.

She watched Melissa out of the corner of her eye. There was something much bigger going on between her and Lidia than a simple bouquet. She had been there when it had happened.

_12:47_

_Third Period_

_Earlier that Day_

Veronika wasn't particularly bothered by Tuesdays, or any day of the week really. It was only that on Tuesdays the school required that she meet with a college advisory for fifteen minutes at the end of second period.

She shifted slightly in the purple plastic chair, mentally reviewing the Gilded Age and it's importance in American history. Her counselor, Mr. Thatch, was helping someone else at the moment. The basketball player lounging behind the aide's desk to her left, kept checking her out and it was beginning to get on her nerves. Lidia was an aide this period and typically they chatted or played Sticks to pass the time, but today she was out on an errand.

Veronika idly contemplated shooting him with her watch air-pellet gun. It would be a lovely distraction, but she was sure Lidia would find out and that would mean losing her watch under contract breach. He looked her up and down again and waggled his eyebrows. Her fingers twitched over her watch. _One more time, I swear, one more time and-_

"-I'm going to scream!" yelled a familiar voice.

_Impeccable timing, as usual,_ she thought with sour humor. As these things usually go, she was interrupted by an uncanny bit of comedic timing that only one person would ever be able to pull off.

Melissa stormed through the small hallway that connected the main office to the counselors' offices and the nurse's office. She was cradling a rather beautiful bouquet of flowers to her chest and looked murderous. Her towering rage was momentarily sidetracked at finding the Russian sitting there.

"Afternoon," she snapped, glaring at the flowers in her arms. "Please tell me that you had nothing to do with this."

Veronika raised an eyebrow eloquently. The basketball player behind the desk looked on interestedly, leaning forward over the desk to take a better look at Melissa. He leered at her suggestively and Veronika sent up a brief prayer for his soul. Ten seconds later the jock was on the floor clutching his stomach and Melissa was glowering over him.

"Do it again, I DARE you!" she hissed.

"That is enough," Veronika said quietly, too amused to put any threat in the words.

A dramatic sigh was heard from the doorway. Veronika turned to see Lidia, leaning against the door frame and glaring at Melissa. She caught a fleeting look of satisfaction cross Lidia's face when she saw the bouquet in Melissa's arms. Then again, it might just have been a trick of the light.

"Now I have to listen to him complain for the next week. Thanks," she said dryly.

Melissa turned ever so slowly to look at Lidia and even Veronika wanted to take a step back.

"YOU." The malice and blood-lust compacted into that one word should've been Lidia's specialty.

Lidia raised both eyebrows, took a step back and then gave Veronika a curious look. She shrugged in return. It was most likely something to do with a boy or an internet stalker or something mundane like joyriding.

"You did this," Melissa said quietly, an odd expression on her face. "I want you to know that you did this. Whatever happens next, it is all on you, Lidia Anne Cooper. You." She held up the bouquet, glaring fiercely into Lidia's ice blue eyes.

A thick rope of uneasiness snaked it's way into Veronika's stomach. This wasn't right. Melissa was loud, annoying, arrogant, oddly proper in her speech, melodramatic, paranoid, extremely talented and completely irreplaceable. But rarely _ever _was she serious.

Lidia's expression shut itself down into a completely unreadable mask at that and Melissa swept out the door, not bothering to say goodbye.

Veronika had frowned then and she had frowned at the earlier rant on privacy. It appeared Lidia had overstepped herself and done something on one of Melissa's highly important computers. Both of them were aware enough to never breach the subject while arguing in Russian, but judging by the way Melissa was carrying on, this was something very, very big. And something she didn't want the twins to hear, either, which in itself might be the strangest thing.

It sorely puzzled her. She couldn't imagine any reason that Lidia would have had to do something to Melissa's gear without asking. Sure, Lidia had been particularly furious about Operation Humble Saint (the unfortunate mishap in San Diego) much like her father, but surely it hadn't triggered this. But then again, the group still wasn't exactly sure what had happened at San Diego.

And now this utterly ridiculous behavior of ignoring Lidia, who didn't say much to begin with. None of the pieces fit, none of the clues were right. Veronika decided that it was time to contact her Comrades and see if they had any information to share. Given the rather glorious explosion that had followed their escape, she could safely bank on the fact that they would. Russians loved a good fire show, after all.

She broke herself out of her thoughts and continued to look over Melissa's compiled information on the scum they would be dealing with this time. Taylor and Sarah had maps spread out all over the floor and were arguing over the possible routes for this weekend's race and where they would all need to be. Her ears caught the sound of the door at the top of the stairs opening and closing.

Her sister Elizabeth walked into the garage, holding up a hand in greeting. "What are you lazy blokes about now? Did we receive a mission?" Her British accent fell crisply into the air and broke Lidia's silence neatly.

"Melissa's op. She'll fill you in." Lidia said looking up from her files, a tinge of disapproval in her voice.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I had a Robotics meeting to attend after school today, seeing as I am President and everything." She looked around and noticed Melissa's unhappiness. "I miss something?"

Taylor and Sarah surfaced from their papers grinning wickedly.

"Something?" Taylor asked innocently.

"What thing?" Sarah asked matching her sister's tone.

"That thing?"

"My thing?"

"Your thing?"

"Which thing?"

"This thing?"

"One thing?"

"This thing between us?"

"Nothing!" Elizabeth growled as the twins burst out into laughter, "Forget I said anything!"

Now they were howling in laughter and Melissa was too.

"You walked into that one," Veronika teased her sister.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

She walked over to Melissa and looked down at her apprehensively. "You're not going to bite my head off are you?"

"No," Melissa said, frowning up at her.

"She already bit mine off," Lidia muttered causing the twins and Veronika to chuckle. Melissa flushed a brilliant cherry but didn't respond. Elizabeth adopted a surprised expression but refrained from making a comment at Melissa's dark look.

"Let's get to work then, shall we?" Elizabeth said cheerily, but not one of them missed the underlying nervousness of her tone. Melissa rolled her neck.

"I'm in a bad mood, Elizaveta. So listen up and pay attention because I will NOT be repeating myself. Understand?" She said in her flawless Muscovite Russian. Then without waiting for an answer she launched into a super condensed, almost too fast recap of what they'd gone over earlier...in Russian of course. Finished speaking, Melissa turned to Elizabeth.

"Too much eyeshadow today, Dove. Is he treating you right?"

The whole group went into an uproar at that and Elizabeth's face lost of it's natural color.

"Say WHAT?" -Taylor

"Pinch me, I'm dreaming!" -Sarah

"He who?" - Lidia

Unintelligible English and outraged Russian from Veronika.

"You forgot to tell them, didn't you?" Melissa muttered in her ear.

She nodded minutely.

"Well then, I handle this for you, you owe me a favor. Deal?"

"Deal!"

Melissa grinned at that. "Too easy," she said, looking at her hands. She pulled her MPMPR (mulit-purpose multi-program remote) out of her pocket and pressed a few buttons in quick succession and suddenly It's a Small World After All was crescendo-ing through the room. It had the desired effect of knocking everyone temporarily slack-jawed. Another button and the resulting silence further shocked them.

"It's seems that as usual, you have misunderstood me. Brian was practicing his make-up skills and Dove here agreed to be his guinea pig. Now, if you're all done causing a fuss, we've got work to do."

The two turned their backs on the others and set to analyzing the video, running it through multiple programs chatting comfortably about resolution and image quality. The others glared at Melissa, just about fed up with her antics, but eventually got back to work. An hour later everyone was ready to head home.

"Homework sound-off," Lidia ordered.

"Finish puttin' together the disguises me 'n Taylor'll be usin'," Sarah said.

"Finish the layout of the city rooftops," Veronika said, holding up a roll of paper.

"Modify our camera's and test them out," Elizabeth said, stuffing wires and tools back into her backpack.

"Track down Kimawari's finances and monitor the betting as the race approaches, see if I can't manipulate the odds and track down some of Wan's shipments," Melissa said, typing something into her phone.

"Permission, or at least a window to work in," Lidia stated.

"Finish modifications on my bike," Taylor said with a grin. "Ladies, start your engines!"


	3. Pregame Plans

The week passed quickly for the group. Between schoolwork, extracurricular activites and prepping for the mission, the girls saw very little of each other, maybe a quick question in the hallways or a texts here and there. The faster the weekend approached the more impatient they all became. Everyone except Elizabeth.

The youngest of the girls, she sometimes felt left out. The others were seniors about to leave for college and were selected for more missions than she was. She had been a bit resentful in the beginning to be perfectly frank. She loved the feeling of actually doing something, of going beyond the norm in such a spectacular fashion. She loved the fights and the adrenalin and even the little nicks and bruises after a successful mission, even the long and often monotonous planning.

But Lidia and Veronika had banded together to keep her on a tight leash. They said she was too reckless sometimes and occassionally even the twins agreed. The only one in the group amused by her antics and willing to be brutally honest was Melissa. Sensing a kindred mind, she had pulled her aside one day and asked her to disarm a few bombs. Elizabeth tried her best but had failed to disarm two and afterwards Melissa had unofficially taken her on as an apprentice of sorts. It had been a godsend.

Elizabeth was always torn between being disturbed and awed by the sheer amount of technical genius Melissa had. Bombs, hacking, robots, cameras, photography, pattern identification, symbolism in flowers, clothes, paintings even jewelry, multiple languages and behavorial tags and patterns. She was a terrifying powerhouse of memory akin to one of her supercomputers. The others sensed it, but Elizabeth was privy to all this and expected to learn it.

Melissa was harsh and strict, the kind of teacher who you wouldn't dare to question or lie to. She pushed and pushed and pushed with quizzes, tests, examples and projects. Failure was an option, but repeated failure was not. And Elizabeth loved it. The sort of responsibility she craved, Melissa gave and gave freely with the full consequences on her wallet, her time and her self-esteem. But she wouldn't change it for anything.

And that was why she was so worried as she and her sister drove to Lidia's house to meet up before the mission. Melissa had been acting strangely lately and her sister telling her about the flowers only confirmed it. Elizabeth knew that Melissa had a lot more secrets than she let on, especially considering she managed their finances so spectacularly well and she was the resident information specialist. But never before had she felt that something sinister was going on.

"What's on your mind, Polina?" Veronika asked quietly, breaking the silence.

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose at the nickname. "Must you call me that?"

"Absolutely. Now, answer the question."

She sighed. "It's nothing. I've got a bad feeling about tonight is all."

"Why?"

"I think Melissa's up to something."

"She's always up to something, Dove."

Elizabeth glared at her. "Why don't you like her?"

Veronika's hands tightened ever so slightly on the steering wheel. "I never said that."

"Then what, you've just developed a 'distaste' for her?"

"No. She's unpredictable. And in our work, that's the same thing as untrustworthy."

She scoffed. "Hardly! If any of you would get to know her-"

"How exactly?" Veronika demanded sharply, giving her sister a venomous look. "Perhaps, if you'd get over the idea of her being your teacher, then you'd notice a few key things. For example, for someone who's always talking, how is it she never talks about herself?"

"She does, she-"

"Says things about other people that involve her. Think about it, Polina. When have you ever heard her talk about her dreams or nightmares or hopes? Even Lidia has."

Elizabeth gave her a skeptical look.

"I said once."

The skepticism deepened.

"It was a stakeout."

Her face was stuck in permanent disbelief.

"No one else was there."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Of course, the selective mute strikes again."

Veronika slapped her upside her head. "Enough of that. If I wanted Melissa, I would speak to her. I'm talking to my sister."

She glowered but didn't respond, rubbing her skull. She settled back into her seat, looking moodily out the window. She had expected as much. Her sister was grand, but sometimes she could be so incredibly dense. She had asked Sarah once why Veronika and Lidia didn't like Melissa.

Sarah had shaken her head. "Oh no, Doll, you've got it all wrong. Lidia and Veronika like Melissa. Like her a whole lot. It's just Melissa's kinda...strange, to their way of thinking at least." Sarah had tucked away her homework temporarily to explain better. "Melissa ain't very practical. She's got a great memory and is the best at what she does, but she's a liability."

Sarah held listed things off on her fingers." She can't fight, her aim is iffy and she's distracted in tense situations. She belongs on the sidelines, you see. The others just gotta be on the front lines, or else they don't feel right and good about themselves. Now, Melissa knows this and if you ask me, kinda prefers it. Me and Taylor can switch between the two but Lidia and Veronika can't...well, they can, but it's not a good idea."

Sarah chewed the end of her pencil thoughtfully. "Honey, it's more like a personality clash than anything else. Melissa's just different and they haven't figured out how to accept it yet. They'll get there, don't you worry."

Elizabeth had thanked her and then gone back to fiddling with some gears. It made sense, but it wasn't the whole picture. It had also become stunningly clear that the only reason Lidia and her sister let Melissa teach her was because they were trying to shelter her and keep her safe. They wanted her to do Melissa's job in the future, so that they'd have someone 'predictable' they could depend on.

Elizabeth had never sounded out her suspicions but she had the uncanny feeling Sarah and Melissa knew how she felt. Sarah paid way too much attention sometimes. Those odd looks she'd give people and her funny little smiles set Elizabeth's teeth on edge sometimes. The quieter twin and resident psych specialist, she was one to watch out for if you ever got on her bad side. And Melissa talked to her more than anyone else, meaning she had her fair share of information she was keeping under wraps.

They pulled into Lidia's driveway. Melissa's truck was already there and Taylor's motorcycle was next to it. Veronika popped the trunk and they pulled out their two duffel bags a piece. They went in through the side door, passing by Mr. Cooper at work in his study. He paused in his work to give them an intense stare and then nod at them before he went back to whatever it was he was doing.

Elizabeth repressed a shiver. Lidia was intense, but her father was a category unto himself. They continued down the hall and went into the Rec room. Melissa was typing furiously away with one hand while talking into her phone with the other, parked in a blue beanbag chair. Taylor was suiting up into her racing suit in the middle of the rug, Sarah double checking a few of her knives. Lidia was cleaning out a pistol at the coffee table and was the first to notice their arrival.

"Help the twins," was all she said, focused on the cleaning brush in her hands. Veronika dropped her things and went to braid Taylor's hair. Elizabeth reached into her bag and started pulling out the small cameras she had worked on for the past few days. Melissa snapped her laptop shut and walked over to help. They threaded the camera's into her helmet and one of her pockets. Two seperate wires were threaded into her seams. Satisfied, the two stepped back and surveyed their work.

"That should be sufficient," Melissa said, opening up her laptop. "Vigorous movement, if you please."

Taylor stretched and danced a bit, trying to jiggle them loose. The picture stayed clear and focused despite the movement.

"All right," Elizabeth said, putting on her modified headset. "Start talking. Let's test these new mics."

Taylor grinned. "We have clearance, Clarence."

"Roger, Roger," Elizabeth replied.

"What's our vector, Victor?"

"2939-er, Clarence, over."

"Enough you two,"Sarah said with a giggle, "It sounds like it's working just fine."

"Everyone sync up," Lidia said. The girls put in their ear mics and and checked their watches and phones. "Elizabeth and Veronika, you're with Melissa. Sarah, you're with me. Taylor, you're on point. No slip-ups, no explosions, quick and simple. We've got Habitat for Humanity tomorrow at nine."

They filed out and got into their assorted vehicles. Taylor took off down the street, popping a wheelie at the stop sign and headed out through the city. Melissa turned the key and her truck rumbled to life. She took the highway route, having to get there first and drop off Veronika so she would be in position. Lidia took the residential route, Sarah chattering about HFH and how she just knew, "Brian is going to flake out".

Melissa had recieved the course layout the night before at ten. Technically, none of the contestants were supposed to know the course beforehand, but money was very, very convincing and no one wanted to get on the bookee's badside. You might never see your cash again. And in an illegal race like this, there was no such thing as an honest participant.

Taylor zipped down the lane, weaving in and out of the clubbers and drunks and college kids. The motorcycle thrummed in her blood, metal and leather clutched beneath her thighs, she perched on air, flying without wings.

The asphalt blurred into a black rock river, boiling with leftover oils and water and other unnameable liquids. It flowed underneath her, yellow lane markers blurring into long stretches of color. She was flying, fighting the wind and winning.

Heart singing, both cradled and crushed by the wind, she flew. Past the cars, past the semi trucks, past the exits and the flashing yellow signs. She was pure speed, faster than light. Giddy with adrenalin and only warming up, she screamed down the highway, fearlessly taking overpasses and bridges at dangerously fast speeds. She cut close to cars, moving as little as possible one moment and then whipping dangerously fast turns the next.

Finding the exit, she was looking for, reluctantly she slowed to legal speeds. Winding her way through the inner city's financial district, stopped at a red light, she briefly wondered where the financial branch of the CIA was. She knew it was somewhere in the city. But somewhere was not here and she took off again as the light turned green.

Veronika's voice broke into her musings, helmet mic loud and clear. "I'm in position."

Taylor must have just reached the signal boundry. The race was only ten miles away now.

"I read you loud and clear," Melissa said. "We have reached our mark and are about to embark on the usual routine of ceasing all cerebral activity once the mission has begun. Oh, aren't we lucky."

"A bit of caution, when you round the electric plant our signals will be scrambled for about ten seconds, so don't panic if any of us drop off the grid," Elizabeth said.

"We're in position and getting parked right now," Sarah said. "Ready to rumble, y'all?"

"Enough chatter," Lidia broke in," We've got a race to win."

"Guess that means it's time to party," Sarah grinned at Lidia. She rolled her eyes and got out of their car to walk towards the sounds of throbbing techno and the dirtiest form of rap possible. She briefly paused to consider if her outift would be out of place, but then discarded the thought. Her combat outfit was perfect for these kinds of situations.

Lidia slipped out of the car garage to mingle with the crowds of almost naked teenage girls and women and the thugs with bizzare taste in fashion. This was so not her scene. She was never one to complain, something she prided herself on, but she felt that this was overkill. She knew that this mission was nothing more than Melissa's elaborate and borderline insane attempt to punish her for interfering with her business.

She had done a bit of research on her own, looking over the clips, checking her sources for information and of course, discussing it with her father. And they had both agreed that while it was a noble cause to aid the police in stopping the drug trafficking, this was a very strange way of doing it. There was something else at play here and even if she had to beat it out of Melissa, she was going to get some answers.

Veronika was of the same opinion. But she had said that Taylor would mutiny if not given the chance to prove herself and that Sarah would follow. Whatever one did, the other followed, for better or for worse. It was a wonderful thing about 90% of the time, but the other ten percent left Lidia wishing for electric shock collars. She shook away the amusing thought and focused on the greasy-looking pothead in front of her.

"Hooo-eee! Lookie what we got us here! Looks like we got a real lady for our entertainment tonight, boys!" he grinned nastily, displaying crooked nicotine-stained teeth. He smacked his lips, looking her up and down. "And damn, if she ain't _fine_!"

He circled her, jaunting his steps to try and keep his pants from falling even further. She wrinkled her nose at the pungent odor of marajuana, sweat and cheap beer.

"What say you come home wit' me and see if we can't work out a lil som'thin'-som'thin'," he leered suggestively.

Lidia reigned in her quickly rising temper, to fix him with a cool look. "I'm here for Kimawari. Move, or I will move you myself."

The druggie's eyes widened and he took a step back, almost tripping over himself. "$hit, girl! Why didn' you say so! I ain't gonna mess wit' that bat-$hit crazy mother-f*****! No, suh! He one creepy ass f***er, tell you da truff right der, yeah," he backed away, holding his hands up. "Go on wit'ch'er bad self, then girl, I ain't stoppin' you. $hit."

Lidia rolled her eyes and moved closer to the racers leaving the idiot mumbling to himself, noting the bouncers and the groups of supporters. She scanned out the area, finding Kimawari's distinctive blue suit easily. There were ten racers here so far, a total of twelve were due to race.

"Where are you?" she muttered unhappily.

"Keep your panties on," Taylor shot back, "I'll be there in two minutes tops."

Lidia clenched her teeth in annoyance. "Hurry up."

A parting of the crowd caught her attention. The tenth racer had arrived. A punk in pink, a drag queen with a need for speed, Jorge Diaz. Lidia fought the urge to grimace. Men in pink gave her a stomach ache for some reason. Even she had no idea why.

One of the other racers was entirely too friendly with Mr. Diaz, one Evan Blackhill. A lanky suburban kid who was most likely a sex addict. They chatted comfortably as the two racers watched and the others studiously ignored them. The two watching were Rodrigo Valdez and Joshua Sweet. Two black office workers for competing companies who shared the same father. They had a running betting pool on how long it would take Evan to seduce Jorge.

There were two more Latino's, one female, one male. Selena Hernandez and Mario Fuente. Three Caucasians. Jack Plum, Ferris Smith and Milo Carter. Gang member, racing shop employee and undercover cop, in that order. The girls had been very surprised at 'Milo's' success in getting into the race. His first deep cover assignment and he'd already convinced most of the people here he was actually who he said he was. Props to a great actor, but judging by the way the guards and the one's in charge were watching him, this might be his last race.

That left one racer missing. Lidia frowned. Melissa had assured them that everyone would be present. Taylor was on her way, but where was racer number twelve? Anyone who didn't show forfeited his entry fee and his life.

"Melissa," she said quietly. "A racer is missing."

"Really, now. Who might that be?"

"Arnold Greyson. He's not here."

Elizabeth cut into the line. "He's on his way. I've been monitoring the traffic cameras in the surrounding area. He should get there just as Taylor does."

Lidia didn't have to wait long. With the screech of burning rubber, two motorcyles drifted into the docks, seconds behind each other. Taylor's distinctive red motorcycle was hard to miss, as well as Arnold's apparent obsession with purple. They dismounted, took off their helmets and gave each other approving looks.

"You're good," Taylor said.

"So are you," Arnold replied with a grin, tenor voice almost laughing.

"Let's get registered, wha'dya say?"

"After you."


	4. Winner Take All

Back in the truck, both Elizabeth and Melissa threw popcorn at the screen, in front of them.

"Oh, get a room you two!" Elizabeth said.

"Stop flirting!" was Melissa's contribution.

The two rolled their eyes in tandem. Melissa's popcorn maker hidden in the armrest was their saving grace during missions. It got very boring on the sidelines sometimes, so mindless snacking was definitely needed.

**Meanwhile...**

Taylor pretended not to hear either of them and continued smiling up into the stunning pair of green eyes trained on her. Arnold was giving her this heartmelting grin and oh, was her heartmelting. They had already registered with the overly muscled brutes guarding the registration list and the pile of money to go to the victor. They had attached the GPS patches to their handle bars as per race rules. The patch made sure everyone stayed on the designated course, willing or no. They were discussing music and he admitted to being in choir.

"A baritone? NO way! Do you KNOW how hard it is to find someone not afraid to like music? Ah!" Taylor did a little twirl of happiness, her eyes sparkling.

Arnold was giving her stunned look, his mouth hanging open slightly. "How did you know I was a baritone?" he asked breathlessly. He ran his fingers though his short, wavy chocolate hair. "You have perfect pitch!" he said, shock melting into a happy dance of his own.

**Meanwhile...**

"Are you two eating popcorn?" Sarah asked over the line, getting out of the car. She needed to get going if she was going to do some serious monitoring of Wan.

There was a suspicious silence over the line.

She rolled her eyes and popped the trunk to grab her gear. The rest of the group had been trying for months to find the secret popcorn maker that the two swore didn't exist and the others knew did. She headed through the parking garage to the second floor vantage point.

**Meanwhile...**

"Back to work," Lidia snapped, sifting her way through the crowd to get to Kimawari. He had noticed her a few moments ago and was watching her progress with hooded interest, leaning casually against his bike. She broke free of the gyrating mass of half drunk bodies and into the respectful space surrounding the racers. Kimawari's eyes slid farther shut, still watching her, but at a much more intense level. She knew that he knew that she was trained and dangerous. She'd never bothered to learn to disguise her abilities, despite everyone's chiding...even her father's.

She came to stand directly in front of him, arms at her sides. "Kimawari," she stated.

His eyes closed completely at that and then opened them slowly. An impressive look, but nothing compared to what she was used to. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Ms...?"

Lidia quirked an eyebrow at his flawless British and at Melissa's excited howl over the line.

"Dear Gods, would you listen to that drawl! You can run, but you can NOT hide, Aussies! Wa-ha!"

Lidia decided to play it cool. "Thompson, Ginny Thimpson. I have questions."

Kimawari chuckled unexpectedly, a halfway grim, halfway amused expression sliding across his features. "And you think I have answers?"

"No. I know you do."

Kimawari raised an eyebrow. "You remind me of someone. I don't expect you would know her, though."

Lidia gave him a blank look. Kimawari shook his head. "Unimportant. However, I will say this. I do not like being lied to...Ms. Cooper."

Lidia's insides turned to ice even as she gave him a rather perturbed look. "Deaf as well as stupid," she replied cooly, hiding her unease. "My name is Thompson."

Kimawari sighed and stood up, a few dangerous inches taller than her. He reached over and grabbed his helmet. "It is lucky for you, Ms. Cooper," he said, undeterred by her fierce look," That you have such good friends. I suggest you, and that lovely blonde sniper on the roof over there, leave before I inform Wan that you are here. I am after all, temporarily under his employ." He got on his motorcycle. "Ten minutes, Ms. Cooper, and then the game's up." He put on his helmet and drove to the starting line. She glared at his retreating back and then furiously dove into the crowds, scattering people left and right.

"What the HELL was that?" she spat furiously into the line. "He KNEW we were coming!"

"Take a breath, sugar. We planned for this," Sarah said soothingly over the line, pulling herself into the shadows of the car garage. She had almost made it to her vantage point, on the second level. She had a perfect viewpoint to see the crowd and montior Wan from his control station in the cafe on the corner.

"Veronika, your cover's been blown. Get into your secondary station, I repeat, your secondary station ,-" Veronika started disassembling her rifle lightning quick."-They've got eyes in the sky. Elizabeth, Melissa, I want them found and I want them found yesterday-," Melissa and Elizabeth set aside their popcorn and began furiously pounding away at their keyboards. "Sarah, get back to the car. We're moving to another station and you're driving." Sarah paused where she was and threw up her hands in frustration, to begin walking back. "Taylor, you are NOT, I repeat NOT, to do anything at this point. Continue as planned. Reputation and money be damned, I want these bastards beaten and would you stop flirting?" she hissed.

The rest of the team was nearly shocked into silence. Taylor stopped her giggling at Arnold's happy dance to wince at the unexpectedly loud outburst from her ear mic. Arnold gave her an odd look and she quickly turned to look at the large electronic clock that read 10:55. She faced him slowly and gave him a pained look.

"See you at the finish line," she said, turning to get on her bike. Arnold reached out to grab her hand gently and spun her around to face him. He leaned close, pulled her hand up and kissed her gently on her fingers. "For luck," he said, green eyes grinning into hers. And then he was gone.

Taylor absently rubbed her thumb over her fingers and turned back to her bike, mind swimming. She was broken out of her trance by Melissa's crow of victory and Elizabeth's cry of mock-despair.

"Smile for the camera! BLACKMAIL, BLACKMAIL FOR LIFE!" Melissa crowed happily.

"Caught on tape and absolutely SHAMELESS. I can't believe you! ...WAY TO GO, TAYLOR!" Elizabeth said.

"What'd I miss?" Sarah asked over line, slipping into the grey Honda Accord.

"SHUT UP!" Lidia roared, cowing them into silence. "GET BACK TO WORK!"

Melissa manipulated the com lines so Lidia wouldn't hear them for a minute. "Ladies, Lidia's gone Rhino. All chatter ceasing now."

"Agreed," the others said in unison. Rhino mode was when Lidia bulldozed everyone into submission like a territorial bull rhino with a mean streak. It was, in a word, terrifying.

"Veronika, are you in your new position?" Elizabeth asked.

"Nyet. I ahm travelling through building. Getting shot vas not on de list of activities fohr de night."

"Excellent. We've just located an anomolous heat signature three buildings away. A round of applause for your lovely, sister," Melissa said. "Go to position four. The blind spot should be just perfect for you and you can still give us some cover. Position four."

"Roger," Veronika said, trotting down the building's stairwell. She hated orange carpeting.

Melissa turned to Elizabeth and beamed. "Piggybacking off of three satellties simultaneously? Genius! You simply MUST show me that delicious bit of code when we get back."

Elizabeth gained a smug look. "You wrote it, Mistress Cypher. A few months back at our think tank with NSA. I just improved it."

"Marvellous, simply marvellous, Ms. Binary. We'll be keeping this between us, I trust?"

She nodded. "Oh, definitely. Cooper would be..." She trailed off.

"Exactly." They turned back to their screens, fingers flying.

Lidia slammed the door as she got into the car. "Drive," she growled. Sarah turned off the car motor and gave her the Look. Lidia's glare turned positively glacial and it was a safe bet the temperature in the car dropped a few degrees.

"I ain't gonna be intimidated like some sorta perp you just scraped off the bottom of your shoe, Lame Brains," Sarah said calmly. "So you can stop being rude and quit the 'tude. We get it. Nobody likes being bested by somebody who's marbles aren't all there. ESPECIALLY in this group. But if you make a habit of blowin' up at your team whenever things go...what was Melissa's phrase...'pear-shaped', then I'll be the first one to tell Mr. Cooper you're unfit for the team he's thinking of putting you on."

Lidia had turned into a glacier at this point. "You had better have turned your mic off," she growled.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Of course, I did. Giving this information to anyone else would be stupid. Veronika would have a fit and so would Taylor. They've been trying for the same thing you know."

"Yes, I know," she ground out."But how do YOU?"

"You're not the only one with sources, Lame Brains. So get a grip, because my SISTER is risking her LIFE for you. I've had a funny feeling 'bout this mission from the start. I AM not gonna let you screw it up. We clear?"

"Crystal. Now, DRIVE."

Sarah started the engine and they began to exit the parking garage. Lidia absolutely HATED it when Sarah went all saintly and gospel-ish, because she was almost always right. And screw beating Melissa half to death, she was going to beat her within an inch of her life. Files were off-limits. They'd ALL agreed to it. And now, she had gone rogue again, expecting that nobody would notice. Not this time. There was no way Sarah had access to those files. Of all people, there would be no WAY she'd go back on one of her promises. And only Melissa would tell Sarah something like this. Oh, it was on. Tucking her rage back firmly where it belonged, Lidia refocused on the mission at hand. There was a race to win and information to gather.

**Meanwhile...**

"All right, y'all. I suspect Sarah's talkin' Lidia down, since they've dropped off the com lines. Are you guys, ready?" Taylor asked, revving her engine at the starting line.

"As we'll ever be," Elizabeth said.

"Be careful," Veronika said.

"Yes, do," Melissa said. "I'm not paying in full if we have to scrape you off the concrete again."

There was collective rolling of the eyes that was definitely felt if not heard over the line.

"Feeling the love, y'all," Taylor said, a grin creeping up on her lips. It always amused her how Melissa would never say she was worried. Even Lidia did, if in a very concise way. How she managed to say so much in five words or less would always be a mystery. Maybe something about the eyebrows?

A scantily clad Asian chika in a something that imght be called a string bikini in other parts of the world, walked in between the racers, nothing in her hands. Oh, God. It was going to be one of THOSE races. Rolling her eyes, Taylor shifted to peripheral vision just as the girl lifted her top. Leaving the hoots and catcalls behind in a screech of burning rubber, she was off.

immediately, Kimawari, Jorge, Taylor and Jack raced to the front boxing out the others. Jorge took an early lead during the 500 feet or so of straight track, but Taylor was too worried. He faded way too fast. Kimawari settled in just behind her and she tailed Jack. This was new. Normally, Kimawari lead from start to finish. She wasn't the only one to notice.

"Stay sharp," Melissa said, quietly. "Kimawari's up to something."

"I know!" she yelled, drifting a wide left around Jack and Jorge to take the lead. "Now let me race!"

Kimawari had had the same thought it seemed for suddenly they were side by side. She could hear Arnold's engine about fifty feet behind, Joshua and Milo after him. It was gonna be a close race. She could tell.

The course was one of the more complex one's that Wan occasionally dreamed up. "Mad as a hatter," to quote Elizabeth. Starting at the docks they would wind their way through the financial district, the art district, a public park, the gay-borhood, a construction site by a power plant, a football stadium and then over the bridge back to the docks. Wan could be inventive if he chose it seemed, or at least, one of his minions was.

Turn by turn, they wove through the city. Arnold took the lead on George street, then Joshua pulled a fast one two streets later. Kimawari cut her off at the Arbor Park in the middle of the financial district, causing her to slam on her brakes and have Milo and Joshua pass her. With a cry of frustration she slammed on the acclerator trying to gain lost ground.

"Talk to me! I need a break! Kimawari's on me like no other!" She jockeyed for position behind Joshua, now in the lead. Kimawari had decided to follow her for now, Milo behind him, following Arnold then Selena who had steadily been moving up in the race. Evan and Rodrigo were still fighting but Jorge had pretty much given up at this point. Evan had been stuck in the middle and so had Rodrigo. Evan had an explosive temper so he was going to make a move soon, good timing or not.

"Let's see, there should be a straight stretch once you pass the stadium. Floor it," Elizabeth directed.

"Got it." A quick slam to the brakes cutting through Milo's guard and she was in second again. Kimawari was falling farther behind giving her bad vibes. Something was definitely up. She was rounding the power plant and as predicted a severe static took over the lines. Taylor winced, but continued racing.

Meanwhile...

Veronika lay low on the top of the roof, observing Wan through her rifle scope. He was drinking a very European cappuchino and being entertained by two girls dancing a very odd rendention of the Macarena. She tuned the rifle in on his surrounding companions. A few sleazy, 1970's looking wanna-be's. A suit with a very impressive watch and laptop. And, hello, what was this?

A tall black man with ridiculous muscles and tasteful gold was sitting in a white chair conversing on a cell phone. Static buzzed in her ears. Taylor was at the power plant then. The man stood up suddenly, said somethiing to Wan and then left the cafe, still talking on his phone. Veronika's inner alarm system started going off like crazy. In a game of who's who, the one that doesn't belong always means trouble.

"Girhls, ve have company," she said as soon as the static subsided. "Mehlissah, Elizabet. I need to to trace, track and break a call beihng made by a tall black man in a vhite suit. He just left the cafe."

Silence on the line.

"I repeat. Trace, track and break cell phone call in progress. Tall black male, white suit, jsut left the cafe. Do you read me?"

Silence. Time to check the lines. Elizabeth had said they might go wonky around the power station.

"Taylor, do you read me?"

"Kinda busy at the moment!"

Veronika turned to Sarah next.

"Sarah, do you read me?"

"I hear you. Anything interestin' up there, Birdie?"

"Black man 'ho just left cafe."

"Oh, I see him. What's he doin' 'round these parts? I'd peg him as European, maybe even Mid'E. We're watchin' him now."

Lidia was next.

"Lidia, do you read me?"

"Yes. Is he a problem?"

"Possibly. I did noht even see him until a fe'u moments ago."

Now her sister.

"Elizabet, do you read me?"

Silence again. The alarm bells were ringing like mad now.

"Melissa, do you read me?"

No answer.

She made her decision. Lifitng herself into a crouch, she quickly packed her rifle away.

"Somet'ing's 'rong. Melissa and Elizabet are noht responding. I'm on my way."

"NO, hold your position! Veronika!-"

Veronika calmly reached in her ear and pulled the earwig mic out, slipping it into her pocket. Being Tsar Ivan's daughter had definitely straightened out her priorities.

She headed back into the building.

Family first.

**Meanwhile...**

Taylor had made it to the bridge, Kimawari still breathing down her neck. He was playing with her and she knew it. She had seen him wreck Milo three miles back and then shut down Joshua a mile later. He knew. He knew there were government agents in the race. He had taken out Milo and she was next.

For the first time in her life, an icy dagger of fear lay close to her heart as she zipped down the concrete. He was going to kill her. She thrust down on the throttle again, hoping to create some distance. No such luck. He knew he style too well. She wasn't going to make it to the finish line.

The finish line got closer and closer and so did Kimawari. She was barely hanging on-

Two more corners, one more drifted 25 mile turn and then-

She felt it more than saw it, Kimawari passed her, Arnold trying to do the same-

Not today.

Wrenching her handlebar suddenly she caused Arnold to veer left sharply making him lose his wind drag and then the finish line passed them by, the crowd roaring it's approval at the flashy display.

She slammed on her brakes, a sideways drift engaged to slow her down faster, the other racers doing the same. Coming to a standstill eighty feet later, she put her feet on the concrete and saw who came in next.

By law of the street, those who came first got closest to the crowds, followed by place consecutively. Kimawari, her, Arnold, Selena, Jack, Rodrigo. She turned to look at Kimawari, who had already taken his helmet off. He was regarding her strangely. Arnold had also taken off his helmet was glaring at Kimawari. Sensing her gaze, his expression softened and he gave a small bow in her direction before going back to uber hate of Kimawari a moment later. Really sore loser maybe? Not to that degree.

"Something's wrong, you guys. Arnold's gettin' downright nasty and Kimawari didn't take me out like he could've. I've got a bad feelin' about this."

"So glad I'm not the only one," Sarah said. "Don't get off your bike, don't take your helmet off. Somethin's awfully hinky. Veronika's gone to check on Melissa and Elizabeth. Their com lines are down completely. I fancy they're havin' a nice little session with their gadgets at the moment. Lidia and me have been watchin' this fancy black fella. Who-ee, is he outta place, stickin' out like a show pony in a barrel race. Veronika tagged him for us. You'll be happy to know, Milo's alive. His people snatched him up a minute or two after Kimawari happened. Poor guy, he's gonna be walkin' real funny if he ever gets back on his feet."

Taylor felt herself relax slightly at her sister's longwinded report, the adrenalin lessing. "Anything else I should know?" She asked good-naturedly.

And then all hell broke loose.

Shots rang out, people screamed, scrambled and screeched away. Mass panic sweeping down the street.

"Agent down, Agent down!" Veronika screamed over the line. "Agent missing and agent down! We're marked!"

"Taylor, get out of there!" Lidia ordered. "Meet at the rendezvous point!"

Taylor gunned her motor again, slipping down an alleyway, leaving the mess behind her. The last thing she saw was Arnold and Kimawari facing off, completely still in the middle of a panicked mob.

Twenty minutes later, half out of her mind with worry, she reached the warehouse they used for a meeting ground. Melissa's red truck was already there and so was Lidia's Honda. The other's were huddled together around a bench. She scrambled off her bike and ran over.

Elizabeth lay spread out on the bench, arm over her eyes, Lidia checking her vitals. Sarah and Veronika hovering worriedly nearby. She hugged her sister tightly, relieved she was all right and then turned to Lidia.

"What the hell happened? Who did this to her?" she demanded breathlessly.

"Melissa."

For a split second, Taylor thought she had heard wrong.

"Melissa- but that's crazy! Why would she-?"

Elizabeth intterupted. "She tasered me and then dosed me with a knockout-painkiller potion. She was talking to me before she left. I don't know what she said, that bitch."

Veronika looked like death warmed over. "The truck's systems vere viped clean. She destroyed all evidence of her leaving. No goodbye, noth'ink."

"I can't believe she would do this! It's San Diego all over again!" Sarah raved, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Our resident technological expert takes out our number two and then vanishes? What the hell is she thinking?"

Taylor rounded on Lidia, whose face was curiously drained of all color. She opened her mouth to yell at her, but something in Lidia's expression froze the words in her throat. The others noticed her absolute, frozen silence as well.

"Lidia?" Sarah asked cautiously.

She snapped her head up to look at them, eyes wide.

"I didn't know. I didn't. I just thought it was some boy, or one of those people from the internet. I didn't know. She warned me, I didn't listen, I didn't know, I swear I didn't know-"

Lidia was babbling now. Veronika slapped her and suddenly there was silence.

"This was about the flowers, wasn't it," Sarah demanded.

She mutely nodded.

"Explain." The heat in Veronika's voice would have melted diamonds.

"I logged onto her main laptop a few weeks ago to get some files. I thought she wouldn't notice-" there was a collective hiss of disapproval and disbelief. Lidia flushed a brilliant cherry. "What I found was something else entirely. She'd been looking for something, or rather something had come looking for her. It looked completely benign. Nothing out of the ordinary. Like two love-sick teens flirting. I'd been annoyed with her. She had just destroyed our operation in San Diego and then she had the nerve to insult me about my decision making. So I sent an email. Two weeks later, the flowers appeared. Did any of you see what was written on the card?"

The group mutely shook their heads.

"'Time's up, my Love. I'm coming for you.'," Lidia recited.

"You mean-" Taylor began.

Lidia nodded. "She's gone. And this time...she's not coming back."

**One hour earlier...**

"Nice call. You're getting good at this, Ms. B."

Elizabeth grinned over at Melissa mowing down on popcorn once again. "Why thank you, Mistress C."

"Will you take the lead, next mission?"

Elizabeth stilled her fingers, to turn to look at Melissa, who had set her popcorn aside and was giving her a serious look.

"What?"

Melissa grinned, a sad strange grin, her eyes hollow in the harsh electronic light as static buzzed in their ears. "You'll have to, my dear."

And suddenly Elizabeth was shaking in the grip of 300 kilovolts of electricity, vision fading into white. Her heart was stopping and then she was aching in every muscle, every joint, every bone. Her eyes were gumming shut with thickening tears. The small prick in her forearm was negligible compared to the flood of sensory input.

"I'm sorry, my dear. I never wanted to hurt you. But there are no choices left for me. Believe me, I've tried everything. Goodbye."

Elizabeth felt herself slipping into black oblivion. She heard Melissa tinkering around with a few things, the car door open, shut and then she was gone.


End file.
